Wrench.



I APPLICATION E 21, 1915. 1, 175,463. Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

JOHN G. LEE, OF LITTLETON, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

WRENCH.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Patented lump, 14, 1916,

7 Application filed June 21, 1915. Serial No. 35,258.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. LEE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Littleton, in the county of Grafton and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful improve ments in vVrenches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, refer'encebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

T he great objection to adjustable wrenches is the difficulty experienced and time required in effecting a proper adjustment thereof for the purpose required. This invention, however, relates to a wrench con-' structed for adjustment by merely moving the handle with respect to the head of the wrench, so that after engaging the head upon an object, movement of the handle in a certain direction serves to tighten the head of the wrench upon the object, the head looseningagain from the object when the handle is moved in an opposite direction, so that use of the device in a confined space is thus facilitated. f

It is an object therefore of this invention to construct a wrench the head of which is adjustable .to fit various objects, the releasing and lockingthereof being effected by movement of the wrench handle.

It is furthermore an'important object of this invention to construct a wrench provided with a spring impelled head pivotally connected to a handle with a co-acting rack and ratchet segment provided between said head and handle to lock the head in an ad justed position for use.

It is furthermore an object of this invention to construct a wrench having a handle with an adjustable head pivotally associated therewith, said head, when swung into a certain position, free tomove into anydesired position of adjustment and when moved toward a position of alinement with the handle being interlocked and rigidly held in position, and with stress applied tothe handle, being clamped tightly upon the object on which'it isengaged. l

It is finally an object of this invention to construct an adjustable wrench which may be released or tightened upon an object by movement of the handle, and with resilient means acting normally to hold the parts in interlocked adjusted position.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described. 7

. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the principles of'my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation of one end thereof. Fig. 8 is a front edge view of thedevice. Fig. 1 is a detail section taken on line 41& of Fig. 2. Fig. 5

is a detail of the resilient means forming a part of the device. Fig. 6 is a'view simi lar to Fig. 2, illustrating the'adaptation of an auxiliary element to the device. a Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the auxiliary element.

As shown in the drawings: The reference numeral 1, indicates the handle of the 'wrench, the end of which is bifurcated or enlarged and curved to form integrally connected yoke arms 2. Extending through said yoke arms 2, is a pin 3, and rigidly secured thereon or formed integral with said yoke arms, as desired, is a toothed ratchet element at. Pivotally mounted upon said pin 3, is an interiorly recessed and apertured clamping or, jaw member 5,,and as clearly shownin Fig. 1, said yoke arms 2, are cut away to receive the extended portions 6, of the clampingmember disposed on each side of the ratchet element 4:, through which the pin 3, extends. Extending through the apertured portion of said clamping jaw member 5, and downwardly between the yoke arms 2, of the, handle, is a straight shank portion 7, of another clamping jaw 8, which is integrally formed onfthe outer end of said shank. As clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 6, one edge of said shank member 7, is provided with a series of ratchet teeth 9, to co-act with the ratchet element 4. Se-

cured by means of small screws or otherwise upon flattened portions of the yoke arms 2, 1s a yoke shaped spring member 10, which bears against that end of said clamping .member 5, farthest removed from the pivot serrated to enable the same to grip tightly upon round or smooth objects, so that the device so used, may be utilized asa pipe wrench.

The operation is as follows: The device as'illustrated in the figures, is shown in lockedposition, and in order to release the "wardly, thus clamping the object between;

same for adjustment of the clamping jaw or head 8, it is necessary toswing the associated jaws 5 and 8, inwardly in a clockwise direction with reference to Fig. 1, against the stress of the spring 10, so that the teeth 9, in the edge of the shank 7, of the jaw 8, will be disposed in a position to clear the fixed teeth of the ratchet element4.- The jaw member '8, may then be adjusted inwardly or outwardly, as desired, to the necessary extent, and the wrench as thus used, referring to 'Fig. -1, is rotated in a clockwise direction by the handle 1, thus tending to bring" the shank 7 again into alinement with the handle 1, V or in; fact moving the same slightly beyond an alined position, so that the teeth of the ratchet element 4, tightly engage the teeth 9,-locking the-jaw"member 8, in a fixed position,

and in fact tending to draw the same inthe jaws 5 "and 8. The movement of the y where occasion requires-as a pipe wrench.

' The frictional fit of the pins 12, in the rei cesses 13, provided in the jaw member,

serves to retain the plate rigidly associated therewith.

I am aware that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do 'not purpose limitingjthe patent granted otherwise I than necessitated by' the prior art. r

I claim as'my invention:

1. In a device of the class described a handle member, yoke arms integrally formed thereon, a jaw member pivoted Copies of this patent may be obtained'for handle 1," in an opposite direction of'rota-.

thereon, another jaw member slidable in said first mentioned aw member, and means lntegral with said yoke arms to lock said jaws from movement with respect to one another and with respect to said handle member. I V 1 2. In. a device of the class described a yoked handle'member, a jaw member pivoted thereon, another jaw member slidable in said first mentioned jaw member, and means rlg dly secured on said yokedhandle member acting automatically to lock said jaws from movement with respect to one with respect to said handle 7 member. 7

another and 3. In a device of the class described the combination with a li'andle, yoked arms integral therewith, of a jaw member pivotally mounted" on said arms, another jaw member slidably associated with said first mentioned jaw member, a toothed element rigidly connected with said second mentioned jaw' member, and ratchet means integral with said yoked arms adapted to coi act with said toothedelement to lockwsaid jaws in adjusted position with respectto one another andwith' respect tosaid handle. 4;. In a device ofthe class described the members pivotally associated with said arms," interlocking means between said handle and said-j aw members acting'when said handle is rotated with respect'thereto to draw said jaw members into clamping re- Icombination with a-handle having arms integrally'formed at one end thereof, of, jaw

lation with one another and a' spring rigidly secured upon said arms adapted to' normally impel said jaw members into a positionyof'alinement with said handle.

5. In adevice of the class described the combination with a bifurcated handle, of

jaw members slidably associated with one "another and pivotally connected to the bifurcated and offset handle, and'toothed means integral with said bifurcated handle acting automatically to draw said jaw memhere into clamping relation and hold the' same rigid with respect to said handle when force is applied to said handle and the jaws are engaged upon an object.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my-name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. JOHN G. LEE.

Witnesses: V r

CHARLES V. HILLs, Jr., EARL M. HARDINE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner olf Patents,

Washington, 1). G. 

